Bloghttp://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 11:30:12 -0700http://churchplantmedia.com/Got a story to tell?http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/got-a-story-to-tell
http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/got-a-story-to-tell#commentsSat, 01 Sep 2018 18:00:00 -0700http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/got-a-story-to-tell1 Thessalonians chapters 4 & 5 are a wonderful example of encouragement to believers. One of our chief goals at TGC-BC is to encourage one another.

The TGC-BC Newsletter is an excellent vehicle for you to share how God is working in your life or your place of worship. To that end we would like to include a “Letters to the Editor” section in our next edition.

If you have a word of encouragement or an example of God’s immeasurable grace, please pass it on to the Editor at bctgcc@gmail.com

Looking forward to hearing your encouraging story.

]]>1 Thessalonians chapters 4 & 5 are a wonderful example of encouragement to believers. One of our chief goals at TGC-BC is to encourage one another.

The TGC-BC Newsletter is an excellent vehicle for you to share how God is working in your life or your place of worship. To that end we would like to include a “Letters to the Editor” section in our next edition.

If you have a word of encouragement or an example of God’s immeasurable grace, please pass it on to the Editor at bctgcc@gmail.com

17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Have you answered the call to serve on your church leadership team but find yourself struggling with your role and purpose? Self-doubt is not uncommon as we dip our toes into new and unfamiliar territory. No doubt you have been well vetted for the appropriate Biblical qualifications and you have a good understanding of your church governance system. I call these Biblical qualifications the “HARD” criteria for becoming a healthy Board member. What we often find missing is the “SOFT” skills required for church leadership. Soft skills include Good communication skills, being able to add your voice to the discussion in an effective manner, the ability to think strategically and speak authoritatively, creative thinking, work ethic, teamwork, networking, decision making, positivity, time management, motivation, flexibility, problem-solving, critical thinking, and conflict resolution. These “SOFT” skills, much like muscles, become stronger when exercised regularly.

Effective Boards place Godliness and Biblical qualifications as the highest priority but they also need these soft skill attributes to be resident in their leadership team. It is wonderful if the members of your leadership team are inherently blessed with these soft skills. However if this is not the case take heart, these skills can be learned.

High performance Boards are generally lead by effective leaders. As a leader it is important to see yourself as a servant of the Board. You are there to help the Board find consensus and care needs to be taken not to unduly persuade or influence. Many times a leader will lose their voice in deference to the team. I have found the best practice is to spend as much one on one time with your individual Board members as possible. Try to understand their hearts, their dreams and preferred direction for the church. A leader must ensure that every voice is heard and given ample opportunity to express itself. Great leaders are great listeners. Oftentimes listening can be more powerful than talking.

Those of us that are on a Board serving as part of the team also have a great responsibility. It is important that we come to each meeting well prepared for what is on the agenda. After praying through the agenda items, start to think critically about what the various options might be. Come to the meeting prepared to interact on each item. I don’t think anything is more disheartening to a Board than a member that has not sought to read the agenda beforehand or not performed some due diligence on each agenda item. If you have questions then engage before the meeting to get the answers. If possible speak beforehand with some of your Board members or the Board Chair about the questions you might have or the details of some missing information. I cannot overstate the importance of communication between Board meetings. The real work happens outside of the Board meeting. We are blessed to have access to all of today’s communication tools available let’s use them to share with one another and build each other up.

One practice that I have found to be particularly effective when dealing with a critical issue is, to develop a position paper on the issue well ahead of a meeting. Developing a position paper is not necessarily only the responsibility of the Board Chair. Every member of the Board can and should use this method to explain and share their thoughts on an issue they would like to open up for discussion. This gives everyone an opportunity to digest the issue, search scripture and pray for God’s direction. It is very difficult to gain consensus when you have not allowed adequate preparation time.

We often suffer from the tyranny of the urgent. Some Boards tend to operate in a constant state of urgency. Push back on last minute agenda items. This might result in some missed opportunities but it will develop discipline in those that are adding last minute agenda items. When policy is created in the heat of the moment it lacks transparency. Think out of the box! Think about what could go wrong. Get ahead of the problem before it becomes overwhelming.

I am a strong advocate for measurements. I see measurements as the “Canary” in the Coal Mine. We need to see problems at the earliest possible stage. A decline in attendance or giving might be indicative of an easily resolved problem. Oftentimes when we look at numbers we tend to jump to conclusions. Take time to examine the problem behind the problem. When starting a new program or project it is always advisable to establish benchmark measurements. What are the objectives for the program? What will we do if we fail to make the objectives? What will we do if the program is hugely successful? Sometimes success can be as problematic as failure. So true is the old adage of “what gets measured gets done.” I also encourage you to give thought to how we measure the quality of our work. Are we satisfied with “good enough” or do we strive for excellence? What does excellence look like and do we measure it? (1 Corinthians 14:40)

Isaiah 32:8 (ESV)

8 But he who is noble plans noble things, and on noble things he stands.

Does your church have a sense of what God has called it to accomplish? Do you have a five-year plan that matches what you feel God has called you to accomplish? Can you point to specific activities designed to help you achieve the five-year plan? Without strong strategic plans we tend to drift. Planning is much like the rudder on a large ship. The ship turns slowly so the Captain needs to have a good sense of where he is planning to steer the ship 5 miles ahead. It is important for the Board to spend time at least once a year looking at the big picture. The routine monthly meetings are not sufficient in time or place to plan a proper course for the most important ministries of the church.

I will leave you with one final thought. Always be prepared to replace yourself. Recognize your future leaders early and spend time preparing them for the responsibilities associated with their gifting. Begin succession planning on your very first day. Spend some time thinking about the health of the church when you are no longer there, what will be your legacy be?

]]>Colossians 3:17 (ESV)

17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Have you answered the call to serve on your church leadership team but find yourself struggling with your role and purpose? Self-doubt is not uncommon as we dip our toes into new and unfamiliar territory. No doubt you have been well vetted for the appropriate Biblical qualifications and you have a good understanding of your church governance system. I call these Biblical qualifications the “HARD” criteria for becoming a healthy Board member. What we often find missing is the “SOFT” skills required for church leadership. Soft skills include Good communication skills, being able to add your voice to the discussion in an effective manner, the ability to think strategically and speak authoritatively, creative thinking, work ethic, teamwork, networking, decision making, positivity, time management, motivation, flexibility, problem-solving, critical thinking, and conflict resolution. These “SOFT” skills, much like muscles, become stronger when exercised regularly.

Effective Boards place Godliness and Biblical qualifications as the highest priority but they also need these soft skill attributes to be resident in their leadership team. It is wonderful if the members of your leadership team are inherently blessed with these soft skills. However if this is not the case take heart, these skills can be learned.

High performance Boards are generally lead by effective leaders. As a leader it is important to see yourself as a servant of the Board. You are there to help the Board find consensus and care needs to be taken not to unduly persuade or influence. Many times a leader will lose their voice in deference to the team. I have found the best practice is to spend as much one on one time with your individual Board members as possible. Try to understand their hearts, their dreams and preferred direction for the church. A leader must ensure that every voice is heard and given ample opportunity to express itself. Great leaders are great listeners. Oftentimes listening can be more powerful than talking.

Those of us that are on a Board serving as part of the team also have a great responsibility. It is important that we come to each meeting well prepared for what is on the agenda. After praying through the agenda items, start to think critically about what the various options might be. Come to the meeting prepared to interact on each item. I don’t think anything is more disheartening to a Board than a member that has not sought to read the agenda beforehand or not performed some due diligence on each agenda item. If you have questions then engage before the meeting to get the answers. If possible speak beforehand with some of your Board members or the Board Chair about the questions you might have or the details of some missing information. I cannot overstate the importance of communication between Board meetings. The real work happens outside of the Board meeting. We are blessed to have access to all of today’s communication tools available let’s use them to share with one another and build each other up.

One practice that I have found to be particularly effective when dealing with a critical issue is, to develop a position paper on the issue well ahead of a meeting. Developing a position paper is not necessarily only the responsibility of the Board Chair. Every member of the Board can and should use this method to explain and share their thoughts on an issue they would like to open up for discussion. This gives everyone an opportunity to digest the issue, search scripture and pray for God’s direction. It is very difficult to gain consensus when you have not allowed adequate preparation time.

We often suffer from the tyranny of the urgent. Some Boards tend to operate in a constant state of urgency. Push back on last minute agenda items. This might result in some missed opportunities but it will develop discipline in those that are adding last minute agenda items. When policy is created in the heat of the moment it lacks transparency. Think out of the box! Think about what could go wrong. Get ahead of the problem before it becomes overwhelming.

I am a strong advocate for measurements. I see measurements as the “Canary” in the Coal Mine. We need to see problems at the earliest possible stage. A decline in attendance or giving might be indicative of an easily resolved problem. Oftentimes when we look at numbers we tend to jump to conclusions. Take time to examine the problem behind the problem. When starting a new program or project it is always advisable to establish benchmark measurements. What are the objectives for the program? What will we do if we fail to make the objectives? What will we do if the program is hugely successful? Sometimes success can be as problematic as failure. So true is the old adage of “what gets measured gets done.” I also encourage you to give thought to how we measure the quality of our work. Are we satisfied with “good enough” or do we strive for excellence? What does excellence look like and do we measure it? (1 Corinthians 14:40)

Isaiah 32:8 (ESV)

8 But he who is noble plans noble things, and on noble things he stands.

Does your church have a sense of what God has called it to accomplish? Do you have a five-year plan that matches what you feel God has called you to accomplish? Can you point to specific activities designed to help you achieve the five-year plan? Without strong strategic plans we tend to drift. Planning is much like the rudder on a large ship. The ship turns slowly so the Captain needs to have a good sense of where he is planning to steer the ship 5 miles ahead. It is important for the Board to spend time at least once a year looking at the big picture. The routine monthly meetings are not sufficient in time or place to plan a proper course for the most important ministries of the church.

I will leave you with one final thought. Always be prepared to replace yourself. Recognize your future leaders early and spend time preparing them for the responsibilities associated with their gifting. Begin succession planning on your very first day. Spend some time thinking about the health of the church when you are no longer there, what will be your legacy be?

]]>In the World, But Not Of the Worldhttp://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/in-the-world-but-not-of-the-world
http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/in-the-world-but-not-of-the-world#commentsTue, 12 Jun 2018 15:00:00 -0700http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/in-the-world-but-not-of-the-worldI love being Canadian and living in Canada. We live in a country that for a long time has truly been the TRUE NORTH STRONG AND FREE. For much of my lifetime, Judeo Christian values, although not lived fully, have been assumed and protected.

Lately it seems we are moving rapidly away from this as a nation.

SOGI (sexual orientation and gender identity) is invading our school system and seeking to normalize, and perhaps even encourage what has throughout our history been seen as worthy of being in the DSM (manual of mental disorders), and in the Bible, described as sin. Our children are being taught that what the Bible shows as something that will separate people from Him (1 Corinthians 6:9-20) is not only okay, but something that they should respect and emulate.

The Supreme Court ruled on the Trinity Western Law School and has decided that freedom of religion is not as important as what is perceived by the Ontario court of appeal as something, “deeply discriminatory to the LGBT community”. Some have said that this will yield open access for LGBT students (this was never a part of Trinity’s attempt to limit), but instead will mean those who hold what the Bible teaches about marriage and purity will not be able to train lawyers.

The Federal government changed their rules around which employers can qualify for funding to hire students through the Canada Summer Jobs program. Their idea was to ensure that any groups that are pro-life, or that believe what the Bible teaches about purity, and how this impacts LGBTQ, can’t get funding. This means that those who affirm what God’s Word teaches will not have access to government funding.

The list of changes could continue, and given their trajectory, will increase. So how are we to respond as those who love God and want to obey His Word, to what appears to be a rapid retreat by society away from God’s love and obedience to His Word, to an attack on Christian values?

Christians should be the best citizens any nation has, so we should actively pursue what we know to be God’s best (as revealed in His Word) in the ways that good citizens do. We should vote, petition, educate and pursue what we believe is best for our nation within the freedoms we have in Canada. This is good and right, BUT we are called to more, as followers of Christ. How should fully devoted followers of Jesus respond in a way that is uniquely Christian?

SADDENED: It is right to feel sad when people who need to recognize what sin is, so that they can join us in humility and repentance in faith in Jesus, are blinded by the world around them. It should break our hearts when authentic Christianity’s influence is limited by law and perhaps worse, when it is under direct attack. Our hearts should break not only for the general direction that our country is taking, but also for the hurt that this direction will cause to so many of the people who are encouraged to participate in sin and support it. We should mourn for those who are trapped in sin, and for those who are trapping them. God’s love should cause us, in humility, as fellow sinners, to weep.

SURPRISED: That we have had it this good for this long in our freedom to believe and obey the Bible. God’s Word teaches that if we want to live for Jesus, the world will not be our friend. Canada has at least had a foundational morality that was very friendly to those who claim to follow God’s Word. We should not be surprised that our world is moving in this direction, and we should understand from God’s Word that we are to be found IN the world, but not OF the world (John 17; James 4:4). We should not be surprised that the world is not the most comfortable place for true followers of Jesus (2 Timothy 3:12).

SHOCKED: That some who call themselves Christians are moving along the same path as the World and denying what God’s Word so clearly teaches on purity and exclusive devotion to Him. There are churches who for the sake of a few dollars, or acceptance, or cultural adjustments for what they think is evangelism, are adjusting what the Bible clearly teaches. When the church becomes like the world to reach the world, the church reaches the world for the world and not for God. As Christians we must realize that we are different (1 Peter 2:11-12), and in this difference stand firm. We must be those who hear and obey the Bible and show in our speaking the truth in love who God is, and what He wants (Ephesians 4:15-16).

STILL: As we reflect on what is going on around us, we should always be doing this in a way that realizes that God is Sovereign and Good, and worthy of our trust ALWAYS (Psalm 46:10). Whether we are reflecting on Joseph (Genesis 50:20), Job (Job 1:21-22; 2:10), or Jesus (Acts 2:23; 4:28), we will see clearly that not only is God active in space-time history, He is Sovereign over space-time history. We can trust Him! No matter what is going on around us (Habakkuk 3:17-18; Psalm 46:3), He is STILL SOVEREIGN! The first answer we should have as those concerned about the direction of our nation is TRUST and PRAYER (1 Timothy 2:2).

SACRIFICIAL SERVICE: Christians are often tagged with the “judgemental” label. Sadly, those who name the name of Christ sometimes earn this. May we learn to weep with those who are struggling and be willing to give our ourselves to show people how great God and His Gospel is (Ephesians 5:1-2). We are to be known for our love (John 13:33-34). We live in a world filled with people who disagree with us, who need this love. We should ask ourselves in light of what Jesus has done for us (1 John 4:19) how we can love those who disagree with us His way (Romans 5:8). Our world is filled with broken people, and the farther away we get from God’s Word, the more brokenness we will face. We want to be known as those who are loved by God and overflow His love to others. We should do our very best as individuals to have an impact on our world as salt and light. In this, may we spend way more time looking for ways to self-sacrificially love those around us who are hurting and broken, then in pursuing political change.

STAND STEADY: Christians are called to be followers of Christ. To obey His Word no matter what the cost (Matthew 7:21-27) is the mandate of those who call Jesus Lord. If we are not doers of the Word we are failing in our faith (James 1:22). We are to be those who are Word saturated, and then follow Jesus as LORD by obeying His Word. On issues where culture is moving away from what God’s Word teaches we must STAND FIRM AND LET NOTHING MOVE US! Martin Luther was correct when he said:

“If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.” (Quoted in Parker T. Williamson, Standing Firm: Reclaiming Christian Faith in Times of Controversy [Springfield, PA: PLC Publications, 1996], p. 5.)

The Bible declares marriage as sacred, and Trinity Western is right to declare, “sexual intimacy that violates the sacredness of marriage between a man and a woman” is something that should be abstained from!

We must be those who seek to glorify God and thank Him, as those who live our lives for His glory (Romans 1:21).

SHOW: In a world moving rapidly away from Christ, the distinction of followers of Jesus should be, will be, clearer (1 Peter 2:11-12). This is an opportunity for us to show people how great God is, to display the beauty of forgiveness, the power of love, the richness of what Jesus has done for people like us and can do for those we are showing His Gospel to.

Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, and died in our place, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Our passion as those seeking to glorify God is to point people to Jesus (Matthew 11:11, 28:18-20), and this comes from humble hearts longing to show others the richness of forgiveness that we have experienced. Our mission is to make disciples, and to do this we want to be ready to give an answer to those who notice the hope we have in us (1 Peter 3:15).

We live in increasingly secular times, and yet maybe we are here for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). Actually, if we belong to Him we are here for this time, and He has good works for us to walk in (Ephesians 2:10).

Yes, the culture seems to be drifting and sadly, many in the church seem to be pulled along in the current. Yes, the pace at which the culture is moving away from Christ seems to be accelerating, and this can create discomfort in His followers.

So…. May our God find us faithful, and on mission for Him in this country we call home. Oh that He would send a renewal to the church of “first love” devotion to Him, and as an overflow, we would see our reputation as being one of Holiness and Love.

The further Canada drifts away from God, the brighter authentic followers of Jesus will shine. May our God strengthen our resolve to live for His glory in love and loyalty to Him, and to His Word.

]]>I love being Canadian and living in Canada. We live in a country that for a long time has truly been the TRUE NORTH STRONG AND FREE. For much of my lifetime, Judeo Christian values, although not lived fully, have been assumed and protected.

Lately it seems we are moving rapidly away from this as a nation.

SOGI (sexual orientation and gender identity) is invading our school system and seeking to normalize, and perhaps even encourage what has throughout our history been seen as worthy of being in the DSM (manual of mental disorders), and in the Bible, described as sin. Our children are being taught that what the Bible shows as something that will separate people from Him (1 Corinthians 6:9-20) is not only okay, but something that they should respect and emulate.

The Supreme Court ruled on the Trinity Western Law School and has decided that freedom of religion is not as important as what is perceived by the Ontario court of appeal as something, “deeply discriminatory to the LGBT community”. Some have said that this will yield open access for LGBT students (this was never a part of Trinity’s attempt to limit), but instead will mean those who hold what the Bible teaches about marriage and purity will not be able to train lawyers.

The Federal government changed their rules around which employers can qualify for funding to hire students through the Canada Summer Jobs program. Their idea was to ensure that any groups that are pro-life, or that believe what the Bible teaches about purity, and how this impacts LGBTQ, can’t get funding. This means that those who affirm what God’s Word teaches will not have access to government funding.

The list of changes could continue, and given their trajectory, will increase. So how are we to respond as those who love God and want to obey His Word, to what appears to be a rapid retreat by society away from God’s love and obedience to His Word, to an attack on Christian values?

Christians should be the best citizens any nation has, so we should actively pursue what we know to be God’s best (as revealed in His Word) in the ways that good citizens do. We should vote, petition, educate and pursue what we believe is best for our nation within the freedoms we have in Canada. This is good and right, BUT we are called to more, as followers of Christ. How should fully devoted followers of Jesus respond in a way that is uniquely Christian?

SADDENED: It is right to feel sad when people who need to recognize what sin is, so that they can join us in humility and repentance in faith in Jesus, are blinded by the world around them. It should break our hearts when authentic Christianity’s influence is limited by law and perhaps worse, when it is under direct attack. Our hearts should break not only for the general direction that our country is taking, but also for the hurt that this direction will cause to so many of the people who are encouraged to participate in sin and support it. We should mourn for those who are trapped in sin, and for those who are trapping them. God’s love should cause us, in humility, as fellow sinners, to weep.

SURPRISED: That we have had it this good for this long in our freedom to believe and obey the Bible. God’s Word teaches that if we want to live for Jesus, the world will not be our friend. Canada has at least had a foundational morality that was very friendly to those who claim to follow God’s Word. We should not be surprised that our world is moving in this direction, and we should understand from God’s Word that we are to be found IN the world, but not OF the world (John 17; James 4:4). We should not be surprised that the world is not the most comfortable place for true followers of Jesus (2 Timothy 3:12).

SHOCKED: That some who call themselves Christians are moving along the same path as the World and denying what God’s Word so clearly teaches on purity and exclusive devotion to Him. There are churches who for the sake of a few dollars, or acceptance, or cultural adjustments for what they think is evangelism, are adjusting what the Bible clearly teaches. When the church becomes like the world to reach the world, the church reaches the world for the world and not for God. As Christians we must realize that we are different (1 Peter 2:11-12), and in this difference stand firm. We must be those who hear and obey the Bible and show in our speaking the truth in love who God is, and what He wants (Ephesians 4:15-16).

STILL: As we reflect on what is going on around us, we should always be doing this in a way that realizes that God is Sovereign and Good, and worthy of our trust ALWAYS (Psalm 46:10). Whether we are reflecting on Joseph (Genesis 50:20), Job (Job 1:21-22; 2:10), or Jesus (Acts 2:23; 4:28), we will see clearly that not only is God active in space-time history, He is Sovereign over space-time history. We can trust Him! No matter what is going on around us (Habakkuk 3:17-18; Psalm 46:3), He is STILL SOVEREIGN! The first answer we should have as those concerned about the direction of our nation is TRUST and PRAYER (1 Timothy 2:2).

SACRIFICIAL SERVICE: Christians are often tagged with the “judgemental” label. Sadly, those who name the name of Christ sometimes earn this. May we learn to weep with those who are struggling and be willing to give our ourselves to show people how great God and His Gospel is (Ephesians 5:1-2). We are to be known for our love (John 13:33-34). We live in a world filled with people who disagree with us, who need this love. We should ask ourselves in light of what Jesus has done for us (1 John 4:19) how we can love those who disagree with us His way (Romans 5:8). Our world is filled with broken people, and the farther away we get from God’s Word, the more brokenness we will face. We want to be known as those who are loved by God and overflow His love to others. We should do our very best as individuals to have an impact on our world as salt and light. In this, may we spend way more time looking for ways to self-sacrificially love those around us who are hurting and broken, then in pursuing political change.

STAND STEADY: Christians are called to be followers of Christ. To obey His Word no matter what the cost (Matthew 7:21-27) is the mandate of those who call Jesus Lord. If we are not doers of the Word we are failing in our faith (James 1:22). We are to be those who are Word saturated, and then follow Jesus as LORD by obeying His Word. On issues where culture is moving away from what God’s Word teaches we must STAND FIRM AND LET NOTHING MOVE US! Martin Luther was correct when he said:

“If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.” (Quoted in Parker T. Williamson, Standing Firm: Reclaiming Christian Faith in Times of Controversy [Springfield, PA: PLC Publications, 1996], p. 5.)

The Bible declares marriage as sacred, and Trinity Western is right to declare, “sexual intimacy that violates the sacredness of marriage between a man and a woman” is something that should be abstained from!

We must be those who seek to glorify God and thank Him, as those who live our lives for His glory (Romans 1:21).

SHOW: In a world moving rapidly away from Christ, the distinction of followers of Jesus should be, will be, clearer (1 Peter 2:11-12). This is an opportunity for us to show people how great God is, to display the beauty of forgiveness, the power of love, the richness of what Jesus has done for people like us and can do for those we are showing His Gospel to.

Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, and died in our place, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Our passion as those seeking to glorify God is to point people to Jesus (Matthew 11:11, 28:18-20), and this comes from humble hearts longing to show others the richness of forgiveness that we have experienced. Our mission is to make disciples, and to do this we want to be ready to give an answer to those who notice the hope we have in us (1 Peter 3:15).

We live in increasingly secular times, and yet maybe we are here for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). Actually, if we belong to Him we are here for this time, and He has good works for us to walk in (Ephesians 2:10).

Yes, the culture seems to be drifting and sadly, many in the church seem to be pulled along in the current. Yes, the pace at which the culture is moving away from Christ seems to be accelerating, and this can create discomfort in His followers.

So…. May our God find us faithful, and on mission for Him in this country we call home. Oh that He would send a renewal to the church of “first love” devotion to Him, and as an overflow, we would see our reputation as being one of Holiness and Love.

The further Canada drifts away from God, the brighter authentic followers of Jesus will shine. May our God strengthen our resolve to live for His glory in love and loyalty to Him, and to His Word.

For the last twenty years, thousands of men from across America struggling with sexual sin have come to our intensive counseling workshop. Over half were pastors and missionaries.

I wish our experience was unique.

Several years ago, a seminary professor told me, “We no longer ask our entering students if they are struggling with pornography; we assume every student is struggling. The question we ask is, ‘How serious is the struggle?’”

One missions agency told me that 80% of their applicants voluntarily indicate a struggle with pornography, resulting in staff shortages on the field.

Pornography is just one level of sin — a form of visual sex, or heart adultery. Physical adultery includes an affair, multiple affairs, prostitution, and homosexuality. Other sexual behaviors within the ministry are such heinous “unfruitful works of darkness . . . it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret” (Ephesians 5:11–12). To face the crisis, we must correctly understand the nature of the problem, ask God to search our own hearts, and be committed to restore each one caught in sexual sin “in a spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1).

I have pondered long and hard two questions: Why do people repeatedly return to sexual sin, and why do people turn away from sexual sin?

Deeper than a Disease

First, I would say that after two decades of helping set free those held captive by sexual sin, I’m convinced that the concept of sexual addiction as a diseasedoes not fully identify the seriousness of the problem. If we are going to get serious about the problem in the church, we can ill afford to be misled in our thinking. The real problem is hidden deep within. The least bit of lust is an indication of vast corruption in the human heart. It is an enslavement that cannot be broken through any form of behavior management, recovery program, or counseling. The inside is so ravaged by sin that we can do nothing to change it.

“Secret sexual sin is an invasive poison to the soul, mind, and body.”

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When one is held in the grip of sexual sin, there is no hope of self-reform or self-efforts for those living according to the “passions of [their] flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind” (Ephesians 2:3). To put it bluntly, those living in habitual sexual sin are “dead in [their] trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Dead — as in, a loss of spiritual life. Dead to finding satisfaction with God. Dead to living for his purpose. Holiness is dead. Wisdom is dead. Purity is dead. Love is dead. Like David, the sexual sinner has sinned “against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13), and in so doing has “utterly scorned the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:14). The horrible fact is they are “by nature children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3).

I believe addictionology plays down the seriousness of sin and the necessity of the work of God when it encourages the sexual addict to accept the theory that recovery will only be successful when they begin to believe that they are a good person at the core and just have a disease.

Diagnoses always determine the method of treatment. So “good” people only need to get serious, follow the steps of recovery, and remain in recovery. The opposite is true. When dealing with sexual sin, we must hold fast to the teaching of Jesus Christ: “From within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality . . . adultery” (Mark 7:21).

By nature and by choice we satisfy ourselves, rebel against God, and have no accurate understanding of the depth of our problem. The heart is deceptive, and without supernatural change, it will grow worse. The only hope is “the grace of God . . . training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:11–12).

Look closely and you will see that sexual sinners are disappointed with pleasure in their pursuit of what is essentially false intimacy. As one pastor, who was living in two adulterous relationships, put it, “This was the insanity: I no sooner finished the sexual act and immediately broke into tears, devastated by what I had done, but I only returned again and again to the same sinful relationship.”

As sinners, we are created with desires for intimacy and for delight. Therefore, “The way to fight lust is to feed faith with the precious and magnificent promise that the pure in heart will see, face to face, the all-satisfying God of glory” (Future Grace, 338).

Yet the sexual sinner, finding no pleasure in real intimacy with God, ultimately finds no pleasure in false intimacy. Real intimacy has both pain and pleasure; false intimacy offers the illusion of no pain, but in the end there is no real pleasure! A part of exchanging “the truth about God for a lie” (Romans 1:25) is that you end up with pleasure now, but pain forever!

Descending Deception

Deception runs deeper than we think. Deception is inherent to the problem of sexual sin on two levels.

First, there is the double life with clandestine liaisons, endless hidden hours on a computer, or the misuse of unaccounted time away from the office or home. The behavior is carefully hidden from view, but there are lies, then more lies to cover the lies. Face the facts: the motive for secrecy is to keep doing it. But secrecy of sexual sin also indicates a person’s commitment to flee from the light. “And people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil” (John 3:19).

“In all the vileness of sexual sin, exposure is showing us the perfect patience of Christ.”

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The second level of deception is self-deception. If the heart is deceitful, it impacts the way we want to see the secret things in our lives, particularly secret sexual sins. The missionary can justify going to nude beaches; a pastor sees the value of an affair because it makes him happy; going to a prostitute on Monday is just a reward for hard work on Sunday.

When you say, “I will keep this part of my life a secret,” what are you hiding?

Hidden from view is scandalous behavior that would certainly horrify any congregation or spouse. It is also a calculated contradiction of one’s public image that, if revealed, would bring ruin. It also may be a relationship that you believe is so fulfilling you can’t imagine ending it.

Everyone thinks they are hiding their acts of sin: lust, cheating, porn, and adultery. Such thinking makes it easier to justify the secrecy for the greater good of one’s marriage, family, ministry, job, and future. Such rationalization is universal to all secret sexual sin. “After all, a lot of people would be hurt if they knew what I was doing.” As one pastor put it, “I was in a six-month affair, at the same time preaching and counseling against adultery, and telling myself that God didn’t care because the church was growing.”

In reality, it is not the behavior alone that is hidden.

Secret sexual sin is an invasive poison to the soul, mind, and body. It is a poison deep within the recesses of the soul that keeps one from finding satisfaction in God and meaningful intimacy with others. This is a poison that will kill not only in this life, but also for eternity! “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure . . . has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:5). Sexual behavior that is indistinguishable from the unbelieving world may indicate a person is not truly a child of God.

The Turn from Sin

Why do people turn away from sexual sin?

In thousands of cases that I have counseled, only about 1% of the men have come to us voluntarily and preemptively. Ninety-nine percent of the men were caught.

Getting caught in sexual sin doesn’t change the heart.

I can’t prove it, but I believe that God will providentially expose the secret sexual sin of his children.

It staggers our finite imagination that God will let his chosen ones go deep into brazen sexual sin, live in it for many years, and have so many people badly hurt. And no matter how difficult it is for spouses and church members to see it in the moment, God is at work when a pastor’s sin is exposed. Exposure is a sovereign act of God. God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8)! In all the vileness and rebellion against God that is a big part of sexual sin, exposure is showing us the perfect patience of Christ.

Many times I’ve been asked, “How can you keep dealing with such sinful men?” There are two reasons: First, I have seen over and over again the power of God to change the darkest sinner. Second, restoration with God is more important than anything. It is more important than career or marriage. God cares more for you, your soul, and your wife than he does your gifts and calling. You are his child before you are a pastor or a husband.

Conviction

After secret sexual sin is exposed, we can make the mistake of focusing on the actions and attempt to eliminate behavior. We may be inadvertently feeding a false conviction rather than aiding true conviction.

“The cross isn’t a recovery program. It is a place to die.”

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False conviction is a reflex reaction caused by self-disgust, a sorrow over the consequences of sin. True conviction is an abiding sorrow over the offense against God, and while not the natural response, it does demonstrate that God has begun a good work that he will complete (Philippians 1:6). True conviction is followed by true repentance. False conviction is followed by counterfeit repentance that only sees the consequences of sexual sin and the pain it caused others. Often this leads to a temporary change in behavior without a heart change.

Heart change is critical, “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:5). There is no room for error when it comes to dealing with sexual sin. There is a demand to repent or perish (Luke 13:3, 5). So there must be inner transformation of the heart because it is “deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Christians must take severe measures in killing this sin. This is the real danger: “Every unclean thought would be adultery if it could” (John Owen). “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality . . . ” (Colossians 3:5).

The cross isn’t a recovery program, the place to improve on what good is already there. It is a place to die. It is not a question of giving up sexual sin, but of giving up one’s rights!

“But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:17–18). As dead sinners we lived “in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind” (Ephesians 2:3). Deceived, we foolishly think we can use our bodies as we choose when we are in love, when it brings us pleasure, when it makes us a whole person or feeds our spiritual well-being. The truly repentant sexual sinner begins to grasp, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).

True repentance is radical change from the inside out. “The basic meaning of repent is to experience a change of the mind’s perceptions and dispositions and purposes” (What Jesus Demands from the World, 41). Repentance is not just becoming sexually pure, but an inward change, “so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10). Inward change leads to sexual purity. Repentance happens on the inside where heart change includes the development of an ingrained attitude to flee sexual immorality.

Don’t Wait to Get Caught

Some time ago, I met a pastor who told me that he had two or three affairs in each of the several churches he had pastored. He said, “My reputation in my denomination is to take a small struggling church and see it grow, only to again take another small church and see it grow. I’ve made that move three times, but in fact, I was only moving to a new church before I got caught in those affairs.” That man has no reason to expose his sexual sin or leave the ministry. Why should anyone know?

“There is hope. It begins with facing the truth.”

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Why should anyone turn from sexual sin before being caught?

First, don’t let yourself be deceived. “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil. . . . No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:8–9). While not completely free from sin, the heart of true believers has been transformed, and they cannot live in a pattern of continual sexual sin.

Second, the exhortation is to “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16).

Third, fear is not a virtue. Yes, exposure will be costly, but right now you are dying on the inside. It may not feel like dying right now, but you are. You are slowly killing yourself, your spouse, your family, and your congregation.

Fourth, if secret sexual sin has severe consequences, it is worth dealing with before the devastation occurs. Get help before your Internet browsing history is discovered and shared; the prostitute turns into an uncover police woman and you are arrested for soliciting; you contract an STD; or you are publicly exposed, humiliating yourself, your spouse, your family, and your congregation.

Fifth, it will come out. God is never mocked. “Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness” (Romans 11:22).

Seventh, there is hope. It begins with facing the truth. It is never just a struggle with your thought life; like all sexual sin, it is evil. If there is an old self to put off, there must be a new self to put on; that is the gospel (Ephesians 4:20–24).

Hear the Better Word

Christ bears the wrath that will come for all sexual sin. If you are a true believer and real change has occurred, you are called to put off the old and put on the new. Killing sexual sin starts with exposure; it ends with no longer being enslaved (Romans 6:6). Exposure is painful, but it is better to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21) than to hear, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23).

If you are a pastor stuck in sexual sin, no matter how well you have attempted to cover those sins with layers and layers of lies, I plead with you, step out from the darkness of those sins. Step into the light. Get help. You will never find life in the shadows.

For the last twenty years, thousands of men from across America struggling with sexual sin have come to our intensive counseling workshop. Over half were pastors and missionaries.

I wish our experience was unique.

Several years ago, a seminary professor told me, “We no longer ask our entering students if they are struggling with pornography; we assume every student is struggling. The question we ask is, ‘How serious is the struggle?’”

One missions agency told me that 80% of their applicants voluntarily indicate a struggle with pornography, resulting in staff shortages on the field.

Pornography is just one level of sin — a form of visual sex, or heart adultery. Physical adultery includes an affair, multiple affairs, prostitution, and homosexuality. Other sexual behaviors within the ministry are such heinous “unfruitful works of darkness . . . it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret” (Ephesians 5:11–12). To face the crisis, we must correctly understand the nature of the problem, ask God to search our own hearts, and be committed to restore each one caught in sexual sin “in a spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1).

I have pondered long and hard two questions: Why do people repeatedly return to sexual sin, and why do people turn away from sexual sin?

Deeper than a Disease

First, I would say that after two decades of helping set free those held captive by sexual sin, I’m convinced that the concept of sexual addiction as a diseasedoes not fully identify the seriousness of the problem. If we are going to get serious about the problem in the church, we can ill afford to be misled in our thinking. The real problem is hidden deep within. The least bit of lust is an indication of vast corruption in the human heart. It is an enslavement that cannot be broken through any form of behavior management, recovery program, or counseling. The inside is so ravaged by sin that we can do nothing to change it.

“Secret sexual sin is an invasive poison to the soul, mind, and body.”

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When one is held in the grip of sexual sin, there is no hope of self-reform or self-efforts for those living according to the “passions of [their] flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind” (Ephesians 2:3). To put it bluntly, those living in habitual sexual sin are “dead in [their] trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Dead — as in, a loss of spiritual life. Dead to finding satisfaction with God. Dead to living for his purpose. Holiness is dead. Wisdom is dead. Purity is dead. Love is dead. Like David, the sexual sinner has sinned “against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13), and in so doing has “utterly scorned the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:14). The horrible fact is they are “by nature children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3).

I believe addictionology plays down the seriousness of sin and the necessity of the work of God when it encourages the sexual addict to accept the theory that recovery will only be successful when they begin to believe that they are a good person at the core and just have a disease.

Diagnoses always determine the method of treatment. So “good” people only need to get serious, follow the steps of recovery, and remain in recovery. The opposite is true. When dealing with sexual sin, we must hold fast to the teaching of Jesus Christ: “From within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality . . . adultery” (Mark 7:21).

By nature and by choice we satisfy ourselves, rebel against God, and have no accurate understanding of the depth of our problem. The heart is deceptive, and without supernatural change, it will grow worse. The only hope is “the grace of God . . . training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:11–12).

Look closely and you will see that sexual sinners are disappointed with pleasure in their pursuit of what is essentially false intimacy. As one pastor, who was living in two adulterous relationships, put it, “This was the insanity: I no sooner finished the sexual act and immediately broke into tears, devastated by what I had done, but I only returned again and again to the same sinful relationship.”

As sinners, we are created with desires for intimacy and for delight. Therefore, “The way to fight lust is to feed faith with the precious and magnificent promise that the pure in heart will see, face to face, the all-satisfying God of glory” (Future Grace, 338).

Yet the sexual sinner, finding no pleasure in real intimacy with God, ultimately finds no pleasure in false intimacy. Real intimacy has both pain and pleasure; false intimacy offers the illusion of no pain, but in the end there is no real pleasure! A part of exchanging “the truth about God for a lie” (Romans 1:25) is that you end up with pleasure now, but pain forever!

Descending Deception

Deception runs deeper than we think. Deception is inherent to the problem of sexual sin on two levels.

First, there is the double life with clandestine liaisons, endless hidden hours on a computer, or the misuse of unaccounted time away from the office or home. The behavior is carefully hidden from view, but there are lies, then more lies to cover the lies. Face the facts: the motive for secrecy is to keep doing it. But secrecy of sexual sin also indicates a person’s commitment to flee from the light. “And people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil” (John 3:19).

“In all the vileness of sexual sin, exposure is showing us the perfect patience of Christ.”

Tweet

Share on Facebook

The second level of deception is self-deception. If the heart is deceitful, it impacts the way we want to see the secret things in our lives, particularly secret sexual sins. The missionary can justify going to nude beaches; a pastor sees the value of an affair because it makes him happy; going to a prostitute on Monday is just a reward for hard work on Sunday.

When you say, “I will keep this part of my life a secret,” what are you hiding?

Hidden from view is scandalous behavior that would certainly horrify any congregation or spouse. It is also a calculated contradiction of one’s public image that, if revealed, would bring ruin. It also may be a relationship that you believe is so fulfilling you can’t imagine ending it.

Everyone thinks they are hiding their acts of sin: lust, cheating, porn, and adultery. Such thinking makes it easier to justify the secrecy for the greater good of one’s marriage, family, ministry, job, and future. Such rationalization is universal to all secret sexual sin. “After all, a lot of people would be hurt if they knew what I was doing.” As one pastor put it, “I was in a six-month affair, at the same time preaching and counseling against adultery, and telling myself that God didn’t care because the church was growing.”

In reality, it is not the behavior alone that is hidden.

Secret sexual sin is an invasive poison to the soul, mind, and body. It is a poison deep within the recesses of the soul that keeps one from finding satisfaction in God and meaningful intimacy with others. This is a poison that will kill not only in this life, but also for eternity! “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure . . . has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:5). Sexual behavior that is indistinguishable from the unbelieving world may indicate a person is not truly a child of God.

The Turn from Sin

Why do people turn away from sexual sin?

In thousands of cases that I have counseled, only about 1% of the men have come to us voluntarily and preemptively. Ninety-nine percent of the men were caught.

Getting caught in sexual sin doesn’t change the heart.

I can’t prove it, but I believe that God will providentially expose the secret sexual sin of his children.

It staggers our finite imagination that God will let his chosen ones go deep into brazen sexual sin, live in it for many years, and have so many people badly hurt. And no matter how difficult it is for spouses and church members to see it in the moment, God is at work when a pastor’s sin is exposed. Exposure is a sovereign act of God. God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8)! In all the vileness and rebellion against God that is a big part of sexual sin, exposure is showing us the perfect patience of Christ.

Many times I’ve been asked, “How can you keep dealing with such sinful men?” There are two reasons: First, I have seen over and over again the power of God to change the darkest sinner. Second, restoration with God is more important than anything. It is more important than career or marriage. God cares more for you, your soul, and your wife than he does your gifts and calling. You are his child before you are a pastor or a husband.

Conviction

After secret sexual sin is exposed, we can make the mistake of focusing on the actions and attempt to eliminate behavior. We may be inadvertently feeding a false conviction rather than aiding true conviction.

“The cross isn’t a recovery program. It is a place to die.”

Tweet

Share on Facebook

False conviction is a reflex reaction caused by self-disgust, a sorrow over the consequences of sin. True conviction is an abiding sorrow over the offense against God, and while not the natural response, it does demonstrate that God has begun a good work that he will complete (Philippians 1:6). True conviction is followed by true repentance. False conviction is followed by counterfeit repentance that only sees the consequences of sexual sin and the pain it caused others. Often this leads to a temporary change in behavior without a heart change.

Heart change is critical, “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:5). There is no room for error when it comes to dealing with sexual sin. There is a demand to repent or perish (Luke 13:3, 5). So there must be inner transformation of the heart because it is “deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Christians must take severe measures in killing this sin. This is the real danger: “Every unclean thought would be adultery if it could” (John Owen). “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality . . . ” (Colossians 3:5).

The cross isn’t a recovery program, the place to improve on what good is already there. It is a place to die. It is not a question of giving up sexual sin, but of giving up one’s rights!

“But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:17–18). As dead sinners we lived “in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind” (Ephesians 2:3). Deceived, we foolishly think we can use our bodies as we choose when we are in love, when it brings us pleasure, when it makes us a whole person or feeds our spiritual well-being. The truly repentant sexual sinner begins to grasp, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).

True repentance is radical change from the inside out. “The basic meaning of repent is to experience a change of the mind’s perceptions and dispositions and purposes” (What Jesus Demands from the World, 41). Repentance is not just becoming sexually pure, but an inward change, “so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10). Inward change leads to sexual purity. Repentance happens on the inside where heart change includes the development of an ingrained attitude to flee sexual immorality.

Don’t Wait to Get Caught

Some time ago, I met a pastor who told me that he had two or three affairs in each of the several churches he had pastored. He said, “My reputation in my denomination is to take a small struggling church and see it grow, only to again take another small church and see it grow. I’ve made that move three times, but in fact, I was only moving to a new church before I got caught in those affairs.” That man has no reason to expose his sexual sin or leave the ministry. Why should anyone know?

“There is hope. It begins with facing the truth.”

Tweet

Share on Facebook

Why should anyone turn from sexual sin before being caught?

First, don’t let yourself be deceived. “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil. . . . No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:8–9). While not completely free from sin, the heart of true believers has been transformed, and they cannot live in a pattern of continual sexual sin.

Second, the exhortation is to “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16).

Third, fear is not a virtue. Yes, exposure will be costly, but right now you are dying on the inside. It may not feel like dying right now, but you are. You are slowly killing yourself, your spouse, your family, and your congregation.

Fourth, if secret sexual sin has severe consequences, it is worth dealing with before the devastation occurs. Get help before your Internet browsing history is discovered and shared; the prostitute turns into an uncover police woman and you are arrested for soliciting; you contract an STD; or you are publicly exposed, humiliating yourself, your spouse, your family, and your congregation.

Fifth, it will come out. God is never mocked. “Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness” (Romans 11:22).

Seventh, there is hope. It begins with facing the truth. It is never just a struggle with your thought life; like all sexual sin, it is evil. If there is an old self to put off, there must be a new self to put on; that is the gospel (Ephesians 4:20–24).

Hear the Better Word

Christ bears the wrath that will come for all sexual sin. If you are a true believer and real change has occurred, you are called to put off the old and put on the new. Killing sexual sin starts with exposure; it ends with no longer being enslaved (Romans 6:6). Exposure is painful, but it is better to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21) than to hear, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23).

If you are a pastor stuck in sexual sin, no matter how well you have attempted to cover those sins with layers and layers of lies, I plead with you, step out from the darkness of those sins. Step into the light. Get help. You will never find life in the shadows.

]]>What Does A Healthy Church Look Like? http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/what-does-a-healthy-church-look-like
http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/what-does-a-healthy-church-look-like#commentsWed, 14 Mar 2018 16:00:00 -0700http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/what-does-a-healthy-church-look-likeIt has been said (A.W. Tozer) that our view of God is the most important thing about us, and I agree with that, but a close second in terms of our eternal impact is how we view the local church. Our view of the church is the second most important thing about us, show me how a church leader views the local church and I will show you their eternal impact, and joy in their service of Jesus.

If the world, the flesh and the demonic realm attack our view of God and seek to diminish His glory, they also attack our view of the church and seek to have us see her as a business or building rather than the body of Christ.

The true Church is a part of the eternal plan of God, that He is growing this Body to accomplish His mission for His glory, and this through local churches.

Mark Dever has displayed well that the local church is representation of the universal Church and that the Bible often uses these terms interchangeably (in his book, The Church). Others have shown that the Reformation doctrine of the local church defines a local church as one that has: Biblical Preaching, Biblical Practice of Ordinances (including church discipleship and church discipline), and Biblical Leadership. Assuming these two foundations, how should we view the local church, and what does a healthy church culture look like?

In our British Columbia Christians, often the church is seen as a business, or a building.

Wrong View #1: Business: Competitors

If we see the church as a business, we are competitors seeking to build a healthy business. How we operate is to compete with others for the business of those who claim to be Christians.

If pastors or church leaders see the church as a business, we see success as the number of people we have in seats, the financial statement, and excellence of programs we run. We will evaluate our own calling on the size of church we build and the salary we receive. We will compare ourselves with other churches and seek approval through measuring our market share. Some of these measuring tools can help us quantify what is going on around us, but the church is not a business! We can learn much from the business world, but should never see the church as a business.

Wrong View #2: Building: Consumers

If we see the local church as a building, then people are consumers, or judges, seeing what fits their preferences best, or what delights them. In this view the church exists to do a good job of religion, and if it doesn’t meet my preferences I will go somewhere else and give somewhere else. We mark what church we go to be its physical address, and the church we serve as leaders by the salary or votes we have received.

The pastor becomes the server of religion, seeking satisfied customers, and is to be evaluated for his service as if the attenders were judges on American Idol. The church leader in this view sees their role as pleasing the customer and is a professional not a minister.

If our view of the local church is as a business or building we will not serve her as we should, nor will her mission be accomplished. Leaders will leave when the going gets tough, or the customers are restless. Long term sacrificial ministry is only possible if we have a Biblical view of the church.

One of the key metaphors that the Bible uses to describe the local church is the BODY OF CHRIST (Romans 12:5, 1 Cor. 10:17; 12:27; 4:12; Ephesians 4:12; 5:23; Colossians 1:24).

Body: Community

Church leaders who understand this metaphor will live out three passions: Unified Submission, Unified Service, Unified Sacrifice.

Unified Submission: This picture shows that we are unified in Christ as our head, and one another as fellow parts (Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:11-16). This means that the Body of Christ will do what the head demands, the Body of Christ will obey the Word of Christ.

There is a unity that is found here, as together we pursue the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5-11), and this mind will yield a unity of following our Head (Romans 15:5-6) and His pathway.

Leader who grasp this will lead in way that follows Jesus as their head and that yields a unity of submission to Him and His Word modelled and mandated.

Unified Service: When the church is seen as the Body of Christ, the members of the Body will see themselves, together as representatives of Him in the world, on mission for Him.

This is not only to build up the Body (Ephesians 4:12), but also to live on mission for Him as those who do His work in the world (Matthew 28:16-20).

We will see ourselves as individuals serving Jesus by serving as a church, each part functioning to accomplish the mission of the whole (1 Corinthians 12:4-31). We will ask what we can do to serve, what gifts we have to give, how we can help the church pursue health, healing and unity. We will see our health in the local church as a unified pursuit (Ephesians 4:11-16) as each part does its work.

Unified Sacrifice: We are called to a radical life (Luke 9:23; Philippians 1:21), to live as servants, willing to build up the Body even at intense personal cost (Colossians 1:28-29; Galatians 4:19), we must see the Body as what it is, united in Christ.

If we learn to see the local church as God’s chosen family to accomplish His work, we will commit our lives to her, and live our lives for her beautification. This will mean that salary and the simple life will be sacrificed for as servants of Jesus where necessary.

Sadly, too often we as church leaders focus on the local church as a business or as a building rather than what we know to be true, it is HIS BODY. My prayer is that we would grasp again the value of the local church, and treat her as the treasure she is, serve her as the gift she is, and commit ourselves to long term self-sacrificial ministry to body building for the glory of God.

We are privileged to give our lives to the local church so that the glory of Christ is seen on display to the community around her, and around the world. We will give ourselves to the local church, when we see her for who she is, the Body of Christ, and she has potential to change eternity. In the coming newsletters we will discuss different facets of a healthy church culture, but foundationally we must see her as our Saviour does, He is the HEAD, and the local church representative of the Church, is her body!

]]>It has been said (A.W. Tozer) that our view of God is the most important thing about us, and I agree with that, but a close second in terms of our eternal impact is how we view the local church. Our view of the church is the second most important thing about us, show me how a church leader views the local church and I will show you their eternal impact, and joy in their service of Jesus.

If the world, the flesh and the demonic realm attack our view of God and seek to diminish His glory, they also attack our view of the church and seek to have us see her as a business or building rather than the body of Christ.

The true Church is a part of the eternal plan of God, that He is growing this Body to accomplish His mission for His glory, and this through local churches.

Mark Dever has displayed well that the local church is representation of the universal Church and that the Bible often uses these terms interchangeably (in his book, The Church). Others have shown that the Reformation doctrine of the local church defines a local church as one that has: Biblical Preaching, Biblical Practice of Ordinances (including church discipleship and church discipline), and Biblical Leadership. Assuming these two foundations, how should we view the local church, and what does a healthy church culture look like?

In our British Columbia Christians, often the church is seen as a business, or a building.

Wrong View #1: Business: Competitors

If we see the church as a business, we are competitors seeking to build a healthy business. How we operate is to compete with others for the business of those who claim to be Christians.

If pastors or church leaders see the church as a business, we see success as the number of people we have in seats, the financial statement, and excellence of programs we run. We will evaluate our own calling on the size of church we build and the salary we receive. We will compare ourselves with other churches and seek approval through measuring our market share. Some of these measuring tools can help us quantify what is going on around us, but the church is not a business! We can learn much from the business world, but should never see the church as a business.

Wrong View #2: Building: Consumers

If we see the local church as a building, then people are consumers, or judges, seeing what fits their preferences best, or what delights them. In this view the church exists to do a good job of religion, and if it doesn’t meet my preferences I will go somewhere else and give somewhere else. We mark what church we go to be its physical address, and the church we serve as leaders by the salary or votes we have received.

The pastor becomes the server of religion, seeking satisfied customers, and is to be evaluated for his service as if the attenders were judges on American Idol. The church leader in this view sees their role as pleasing the customer and is a professional not a minister.

If our view of the local church is as a business or building we will not serve her as we should, nor will her mission be accomplished. Leaders will leave when the going gets tough, or the customers are restless. Long term sacrificial ministry is only possible if we have a Biblical view of the church.

One of the key metaphors that the Bible uses to describe the local church is the BODY OF CHRIST (Romans 12:5, 1 Cor. 10:17; 12:27; 4:12; Ephesians 4:12; 5:23; Colossians 1:24).

Body: Community

Church leaders who understand this metaphor will live out three passions: Unified Submission, Unified Service, Unified Sacrifice.

Unified Submission: This picture shows that we are unified in Christ as our head, and one another as fellow parts (Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:11-16). This means that the Body of Christ will do what the head demands, the Body of Christ will obey the Word of Christ.

There is a unity that is found here, as together we pursue the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5-11), and this mind will yield a unity of following our Head (Romans 15:5-6) and His pathway.

Leader who grasp this will lead in way that follows Jesus as their head and that yields a unity of submission to Him and His Word modelled and mandated.

Unified Service: When the church is seen as the Body of Christ, the members of the Body will see themselves, together as representatives of Him in the world, on mission for Him.

This is not only to build up the Body (Ephesians 4:12), but also to live on mission for Him as those who do His work in the world (Matthew 28:16-20).

We will see ourselves as individuals serving Jesus by serving as a church, each part functioning to accomplish the mission of the whole (1 Corinthians 12:4-31). We will ask what we can do to serve, what gifts we have to give, how we can help the church pursue health, healing and unity. We will see our health in the local church as a unified pursuit (Ephesians 4:11-16) as each part does its work.

Unified Sacrifice: We are called to a radical life (Luke 9:23; Philippians 1:21), to live as servants, willing to build up the Body even at intense personal cost (Colossians 1:28-29; Galatians 4:19), we must see the Body as what it is, united in Christ.

If we learn to see the local church as God’s chosen family to accomplish His work, we will commit our lives to her, and live our lives for her beautification. This will mean that salary and the simple life will be sacrificed for as servants of Jesus where necessary.

Sadly, too often we as church leaders focus on the local church as a business or as a building rather than what we know to be true, it is HIS BODY. My prayer is that we would grasp again the value of the local church, and treat her as the treasure she is, serve her as the gift she is, and commit ourselves to long term self-sacrificial ministry to body building for the glory of God.

We are privileged to give our lives to the local church so that the glory of Christ is seen on display to the community around her, and around the world. We will give ourselves to the local church, when we see her for who she is, the Body of Christ, and she has potential to change eternity. In the coming newsletters we will discuss different facets of a healthy church culture, but foundationally we must see her as our Saviour does, He is the HEAD, and the local church representative of the Church, is her body!

]]>What does God think of our Sunday gatherings?http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/what-does-god-think-of-our-sunday-gatherings
http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/what-does-god-think-of-our-sunday-gatherings#commentsSat, 16 Dec 2017 17:00:00 -0800http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/what-does-god-think-of-our-sunday-gatheringsWhat does God think of your Sunday gathering? A very important question, yet one we often fail to ask. We care deeply what other’s think; did we keep everyone happy with our choice of songs, was the sermon short enough, was the sound too loud, are our chairs comfortable enough, was the gathering a pleasurable experience for our people, etc., but when was the last time you asked this question, “what does God think of our Sunday gathering?”

This isn’t a write up about the fear of man, but, I wonder if we do at times fear man more than God, or care about what our congregation thinks more than what God thinks? Andrea Seu Peterson says, “The problem with the fear of man is that you have a thousand masters instead of one to please. You think fear of God is bad? It’s nothing compared to the alternative. Fear of man is a cruel tyranny. It’s exhausting, it’s complicated, and your not nimble enough to pull it off.”

Is it possible that in our attempts to be mindful of what others think, we’ve drifted from the most important question, “what does God think?”

When I read verses like Mark 7:6 “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me”, I say, “Lord, I sure hope that’s not what you think of me and the church I have the privilege of serving.”

Is this thing I call worship, worship, or have I made it into something else? We can appear to be doing all the rights things and yet it can be noise to God.

Amos 5:23-24 says, “Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.

Isaiah 1:15 “When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen”.

Worship that is biblical is always…

God-centered (God is clearly the priority) The goal of every Sunday gathering is that our people leave saying, “what a great Saviour!”, not, “what a great band, preacher, atmosphere.” Is God clearly the priority when your church gather’s?

God-honoring (God is clearly exalted) The goal of every Sunday gathering is that Our choice of songs, what is said and read should have a clear focus on Jesus. Jesus the preeminent One should be front and center, not our preferences, our wants and desires.

God-focused (God is clearly seen) The goal of every Sunday gathering is to create a banquet feast for the hungry, the thirsty. If you are like me and your people are like the ones I have the privilege of serving, I/we wander, I/we drift, I/we forget who Jesus is and what Jesus has done. It’s not that we haven’t been eating and drinking all week, but often from other sources that leave us hungry still and thirsty still. Only Jesus the living bread can satisfy our true hunger. Only Jesus the living water can satisfy our thirst. Are we making sure that Jesus is clearly seen when we gather? Not just in the preached word but in every part of our gathering?

A.W.Tozer once said, “The decline of the knowledge of the Holy has brought on our troubles. A rediscovery of the majesty of God will go a long way towards curing them. It is impossible to keep our moral practices sound and our inward attitudes right while our idea of God is erroneous or inadequate. If we would bring back spiritual power to our lives, we must begin to think of God more nearly as HE is.”

From the moment our gathering begins, our goal should be, to help our people think of God more nearly as he is. To spread a banquet feast before them, a place where they will eat, drink and be satisfied in Christ alone

]]>What does God think of your Sunday gathering? A very important question, yet one we often fail to ask. We care deeply what other’s think; did we keep everyone happy with our choice of songs, was the sermon short enough, was the sound too loud, are our chairs comfortable enough, was the gathering a pleasurable experience for our people, etc., but when was the last time you asked this question, “what does God think of our Sunday gathering?”

This isn’t a write up about the fear of man, but, I wonder if we do at times fear man more than God, or care about what our congregation thinks more than what God thinks? Andrea Seu Peterson says, “The problem with the fear of man is that you have a thousand masters instead of one to please. You think fear of God is bad? It’s nothing compared to the alternative. Fear of man is a cruel tyranny. It’s exhausting, it’s complicated, and your not nimble enough to pull it off.”

Is it possible that in our attempts to be mindful of what others think, we’ve drifted from the most important question, “what does God think?”

When I read verses like Mark 7:6 “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me”, I say, “Lord, I sure hope that’s not what you think of me and the church I have the privilege of serving.”

Is this thing I call worship, worship, or have I made it into something else? We can appear to be doing all the rights things and yet it can be noise to God.

Amos 5:23-24 says, “Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.

Isaiah 1:15 “When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen”.

Worship that is biblical is always…

God-centered (God is clearly the priority) The goal of every Sunday gathering is that our people leave saying, “what a great Saviour!”, not, “what a great band, preacher, atmosphere.” Is God clearly the priority when your church gather’s?

God-honoring (God is clearly exalted) The goal of every Sunday gathering is that Our choice of songs, what is said and read should have a clear focus on Jesus. Jesus the preeminent One should be front and center, not our preferences, our wants and desires.

God-focused (God is clearly seen) The goal of every Sunday gathering is to create a banquet feast for the hungry, the thirsty. If you are like me and your people are like the ones I have the privilege of serving, I/we wander, I/we drift, I/we forget who Jesus is and what Jesus has done. It’s not that we haven’t been eating and drinking all week, but often from other sources that leave us hungry still and thirsty still. Only Jesus the living bread can satisfy our true hunger. Only Jesus the living water can satisfy our thirst. Are we making sure that Jesus is clearly seen when we gather? Not just in the preached word but in every part of our gathering?

A.W.Tozer once said, “The decline of the knowledge of the Holy has brought on our troubles. A rediscovery of the majesty of God will go a long way towards curing them. It is impossible to keep our moral practices sound and our inward attitudes right while our idea of God is erroneous or inadequate. If we would bring back spiritual power to our lives, we must begin to think of God more nearly as HE is.”

From the moment our gathering begins, our goal should be, to help our people think of God more nearly as he is. To spread a banquet feast before them, a place where they will eat, drink and be satisfied in Christ alone

]]>God Hates Discordhttp://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/god-hates-discord
http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/god-hates-discord#commentsFri, 15 Dec 2017 17:00:00 -0800http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/god-hates-discordPsalm 133:1 states, “BEHOLD, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity”.

AMEN. And yet so often it seems that we followers of Christ struggle with one another. In my role for TGC-BC, and in previous roles I have had, there have been many situations where Christians are in conflict. Sadly, in my role as a shepherd of God’s family, I believe that one of the great attacks on the church is through dissension.

This is not surprising, as unity is important to God, in fact so important that He makes it a major emphasis of His Word. In John 17, Jesus prays that we would be one and as the apostles seek to apply this, this call is strengthened through their Spirit inspired work (Romans 15:5-6; Philippians 2:1-11). The call, in terms of dealing with those who are divisive in the body is clear and harsh (Titus 3:10). When God describes what He hates, the emphasis falls on one who sows discord with his brother (Proverbs 6:16-19), so the call is for unity, and the danger of those who are divisive is on display in God’s Word. One of the key ways we can lead towards health is to root out division and to replace it with a unity that is an overflow of humility and pursuing the mind of Christ.

Why do Christians struggle so much with disunity? I have three answers, and although there may be more, if we can understand these three it will go a long way to being an answer to Jesus prayer in John 17:23.

The first, I will call Diminished view of reality, although by this I mean anything that impacts one’s normal ability to think. Sometimes when the brain is not able to function in a healthy way it can lead to confusion and disharmony.

A friend shared that his dad was struggling with this, and blamed them for rifling through his pockets leading to an investigation and pain and division in his family. Diminished capacity mentally can lead to division, because of the lack of ability to see reality, or respond in “normal”, or more important, God honouring ways.

The second unity destroyer is Demonic activity. If God values unity, the demonic realm will do everything in their power to attack Christians and their love for one another. We are in a spiritual battle, and the demonic realm will oppose those things which God desires and demands.

The third is perhaps the saddest for me, and I have called it Depravity. This is when our pride and pain get in the way of our pursuit of godliness and God’s will. This occurs when people feel they deserve something, even demand something that they feel is their right, and in that forget God’s call for obedience and trust on their lives. Where because of their self-interests, or pain, they choose to strike out rather than follow the Master.

So as a leader, how can we respond to each of these unity destroyers?

Diminished view of reality: Sometimes life, health, age, negative experiences and so many other things can cause people have perceptions that don’t match reality. Awareness is the key to patient love and gentle correction in these situations. As Christians who live in a fallen world we must be aware of the impact that injuries, depression, age and so many other things can have on how one interacts with the world around them. In situations where this is the factor that is causing disunity mature people should choose to be sensitive, and learn how to tenderly love those who are such blinded. Often help for them is beyond the skillset of the church, so prayer and plugging them in to others who are educated in care is a helpful tool in the pursuit of unity.

Demonic attack: In many ways this overflows into our battle with the flesh, but remembering this battle is real helps us to wage war God’s way (Ephesians 6:10-18). In fact, in all conflict we should begin focused on the spiritual battle, and spend time in prayer and making sure our armour is firmly in place as we engage the real enemy. We are not aware of the schemes of the devil, and one of them is division (2 Corinthians 2:5-11) and the destruction of Christian love (John 13:34-35).

Depravity: This is perhaps the most personal of them all, as we need to be sure we humble ourselves as we deal with conflict. Sadly the flesh not only impacts those trying to solve conflict, it also impacts those we are serving. This makes conflict so much more difficult to resolve in a God honouring way. To grow through this, one must say no to ungodliness and worldly passions and yes to God and offering full submission to Him. To bring peace where depravity rules means choosing His wisdom (James 3:17-18), and His ways (Romans 12:10). We cannot control others (even as we beg for their submission to God), but we can submit to God (James 4:7) and choose self-denial and love in a way that offers peace and open handed love and forgiveness (Romans 12:18). If the people we are seeking to help decide not to personally submit to God’s Word, unity will be very difficult, but the fruit of the Spirit will lead to unity (Galatians 5:22-26).

Being aware of the unity destroyers is helpful, but so is pursuing unity proactively. We can do this by choosing to be on God’s side, and encouraging others to make this same choice (Joshua 5:13-15). We can do this by walking by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), and choosing to trust in God and His Sovereignty at all times (Matthew 10:29-31). If we make it our goal to out honour one another (Romans 12:10), even when we are hurting we will see division almost disappear from the church (Romans 12:1-2).

So what is the next step to the good and pleasant reality of brothers dwelling together in harmony? As a Christian leader, know God, follow God, encourage others to do the same, and SET HIM BEFORE YOU ALWAYS (Psalm 16:8). Lead as a model of conformity to Christ (Galatians 4:19; 1 Corinthians 11:1) and as you follow Him help others in their awareness of God’s view of unity and His pathway to attain it.

May it be said of us that we find unity as we together have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:10; 2:16), and where that is fractured may we be found to be doing everything we can to keep in step with the Spirit so that He paves the path for us to find common ground, and that this common ground is His!

Other verses to meditate on in this battle against disunity:Ephesians 4:11-16; Colossians 3:13-17; 1 Peter 4:8

]]>Psalm 133:1 states, “BEHOLD, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity”.

AMEN. And yet so often it seems that we followers of Christ struggle with one another. In my role for TGC-BC, and in previous roles I have had, there have been many situations where Christians are in conflict. Sadly, in my role as a shepherd of God’s family, I believe that one of the great attacks on the church is through dissension.

This is not surprising, as unity is important to God, in fact so important that He makes it a major emphasis of His Word. In John 17, Jesus prays that we would be one and as the apostles seek to apply this, this call is strengthened through their Spirit inspired work (Romans 15:5-6; Philippians 2:1-11). The call, in terms of dealing with those who are divisive in the body is clear and harsh (Titus 3:10). When God describes what He hates, the emphasis falls on one who sows discord with his brother (Proverbs 6:16-19), so the call is for unity, and the danger of those who are divisive is on display in God’s Word. One of the key ways we can lead towards health is to root out division and to replace it with a unity that is an overflow of humility and pursuing the mind of Christ.

Why do Christians struggle so much with disunity? I have three answers, and although there may be more, if we can understand these three it will go a long way to being an answer to Jesus prayer in John 17:23.

The first, I will call Diminished view of reality, although by this I mean anything that impacts one’s normal ability to think. Sometimes when the brain is not able to function in a healthy way it can lead to confusion and disharmony.

A friend shared that his dad was struggling with this, and blamed them for rifling through his pockets leading to an investigation and pain and division in his family. Diminished capacity mentally can lead to division, because of the lack of ability to see reality, or respond in “normal”, or more important, God honouring ways.

The second unity destroyer is Demonic activity. If God values unity, the demonic realm will do everything in their power to attack Christians and their love for one another. We are in a spiritual battle, and the demonic realm will oppose those things which God desires and demands.

The third is perhaps the saddest for me, and I have called it Depravity. This is when our pride and pain get in the way of our pursuit of godliness and God’s will. This occurs when people feel they deserve something, even demand something that they feel is their right, and in that forget God’s call for obedience and trust on their lives. Where because of their self-interests, or pain, they choose to strike out rather than follow the Master.

So as a leader, how can we respond to each of these unity destroyers?

Diminished view of reality: Sometimes life, health, age, negative experiences and so many other things can cause people have perceptions that don’t match reality. Awareness is the key to patient love and gentle correction in these situations. As Christians who live in a fallen world we must be aware of the impact that injuries, depression, age and so many other things can have on how one interacts with the world around them. In situations where this is the factor that is causing disunity mature people should choose to be sensitive, and learn how to tenderly love those who are such blinded. Often help for them is beyond the skillset of the church, so prayer and plugging them in to others who are educated in care is a helpful tool in the pursuit of unity.

Demonic attack: In many ways this overflows into our battle with the flesh, but remembering this battle is real helps us to wage war God’s way (Ephesians 6:10-18). In fact, in all conflict we should begin focused on the spiritual battle, and spend time in prayer and making sure our armour is firmly in place as we engage the real enemy. We are not aware of the schemes of the devil, and one of them is division (2 Corinthians 2:5-11) and the destruction of Christian love (John 13:34-35).

Depravity: This is perhaps the most personal of them all, as we need to be sure we humble ourselves as we deal with conflict. Sadly the flesh not only impacts those trying to solve conflict, it also impacts those we are serving. This makes conflict so much more difficult to resolve in a God honouring way. To grow through this, one must say no to ungodliness and worldly passions and yes to God and offering full submission to Him. To bring peace where depravity rules means choosing His wisdom (James 3:17-18), and His ways (Romans 12:10). We cannot control others (even as we beg for their submission to God), but we can submit to God (James 4:7) and choose self-denial and love in a way that offers peace and open handed love and forgiveness (Romans 12:18). If the people we are seeking to help decide not to personally submit to God’s Word, unity will be very difficult, but the fruit of the Spirit will lead to unity (Galatians 5:22-26).

Being aware of the unity destroyers is helpful, but so is pursuing unity proactively. We can do this by choosing to be on God’s side, and encouraging others to make this same choice (Joshua 5:13-15). We can do this by walking by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), and choosing to trust in God and His Sovereignty at all times (Matthew 10:29-31). If we make it our goal to out honour one another (Romans 12:10), even when we are hurting we will see division almost disappear from the church (Romans 12:1-2).

So what is the next step to the good and pleasant reality of brothers dwelling together in harmony? As a Christian leader, know God, follow God, encourage others to do the same, and SET HIM BEFORE YOU ALWAYS (Psalm 16:8). Lead as a model of conformity to Christ (Galatians 4:19; 1 Corinthians 11:1) and as you follow Him help others in their awareness of God’s view of unity and His pathway to attain it.

May it be said of us that we find unity as we together have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:10; 2:16), and where that is fractured may we be found to be doing everything we can to keep in step with the Spirit so that He paves the path for us to find common ground, and that this common ground is His!

Other verses to meditate on in this battle against disunity:Ephesians 4:11-16; Colossians 3:13-17; 1 Peter 4:8

]]>Is it possible to live in unity?http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/is-it-possible-to-live-in-unity
http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/is-it-possible-to-live-in-unity#commentsThu, 14 Dec 2017 18:00:00 -0800http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/is-it-possible-to-live-in-unityOur desire at TGC-BC as we worship together, is to praise our Lord in complete harmony. What unites us is so much more important than what divides us.

We may never agree on all things, but much like a choir that has Sopranos, Tenors, Altos and Bass singers we can combine our voices in beautiful praise to our King. While we may have different voices we can come together on the essentials. God loves to hear the praises of His children but even more when they come together united in purpose and love for one another.

Philippians 1:27

This issue of our newsletter(s) and blogs deal with some of the contentious issues dividing our churches. If you have any comments please send us an email at bctgcc@gmail.com.

]]>Our desire at TGC-BC as we worship together, is to praise our Lord in complete harmony. What unites us is so much more important than what divides us.

We may never agree on all things, but much like a choir that has Sopranos, Tenors, Altos and Bass singers we can combine our voices in beautiful praise to our King. While we may have different voices we can come together on the essentials. God loves to hear the praises of His children but even more when they come together united in purpose and love for one another.

Philippians 1:27

This issue of our newsletter(s) and blogs deal with some of the contentious issues dividing our churches. If you have any comments please send us an email at bctgcc@gmail.com.

]]>Remormation 500http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/remormation-500
http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/remormation-500#commentsMon, 02 Oct 2017 14:00:00 -0700http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/remormation-500For many history is a course we took in high school that was not as bad as math and a little better than English. For the growing Christian history becomes a life long pursuit of understanding and growing in knowledge of.

Who cares? WE DO!

This month many (including us) are celebrating the 500 year anniversary of the Reformation, October 31, 1517. Martin Luther in response to what he saw as abuses in the church of his age, wrote 95 theses, which he posted on the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church. The idea behind this bold move was to open discussion with others in church leadership and bring reform to the Catholic church.

It has been said, “if you don’t know history, your doomed to repeat it”. The Bible constantly calls for us to remember things that occurred in the past, and in Jude, the warning it sounds is based on history repeating itself. The Bible calls for us to learn from Biblical history and find endurance and encouragement and we need those now as a church (Romans 15:4)!

History has particular value for us as Christians, because we believe that God is Sovereign over what is happening (Ephesians 1:11), and therefore we can watch for His story. D.A. Carson points out in an article for 9 Marks, “Three large-scale movements set the stage for the contemporary Western world: the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Enlightenment”.

For us as leaders in churches that have been directly impacted by the Reformation, it stands above almost all events in the last 1500 years in terms of its importance to us. We should care about the reformation, and grow in our understanding of it and its characters for three essential reasons:

The Demonic Schemes Repeat: Ephesians 6:10-20; 2 Corinthians 2:11 As you look at the reasons for the Reformation, the decay of the church and its lack of adherence to Scripture, those peddling religion for money, and a works addition to the gospel, we have these same issues infecting the church in our own generation. The Gospel is under attack, and knowing the repetition of what is being attacked through the study of the Reformation will help us learn from godly men and women, and contend for the faith today with those lessons learned.

The attack on the Gospel, truth and the glory of God, is something that we find throughout history, we must not allow ourselves, or our people be caught unaware of the schemes of the devil!

Tetzel and the Pope have lost their influence, but the temptations that stood behind them, the issues at the root of their folly still exist! The Reformation is worth studying because it reminds us of the schemes the devil uses to attack the church.

The Dopes God Used: A careful study of the reformation not only shows the schemes of the demonic realm, but also the reality that God uses broken people. Martin Luther was sometimes vulgar, seems to have been racist, and drank too much. He is a worthwhile hero, but only because He points us to the One true God, who will never let us down. Not only was Martin (and other reformers) frail, so are we. It is good to study history to remember that there was only One perfect man that God used (Jesus), the rest of us are His work of art (Ephesians 2:10), and in our frailty show His power because He uses cracked pots like us (2 Corinthians 4:7; 12:5-10). As we look at the world broken world around us, history reminds us that God uses real people, and when healthy introspection reminds us that we are real people, rejoice, God uses dopes like us!

The Days Were Dark: Like the men of Issachar (1 Chronicles 12:32), it is helpful to realize that God uses specific people in space time history to respond to what is going on in the church and world. He chooses to use His people to shape the world, and we as church leaders have the responsibility to understand our times and respond with courage. I believe that we are on the verge of revival or total moral collapse, and in this it is time for the church (led by her leaders in God’s strength to stand up, and stand firm. To speak the truth in love, and to live the truth in humility. We live in dark days, and a study of the reformation reminds us that these are not the first dark days that have existed, nor will the (unless Jesus returns) be the last. So let us understand our times, and serve our LORD with courage as where the Word is under attack and the glory of God being diminished. We must know God’s Word, live it, display it, teach it and stand firm on it…as Luther stated, “Also it does not help that one of you would say: ‘I will gladly confess Christ and His Word on every detail, except that I may keep silent about one or two things which my tyrants may not tolerate, such as the form of the Sacraments and the like.’ For whoever denies Christ in one detail or word has denied the same Christ in that one detail who was denied in all the details, since there is only one Christ in all His words, taken together or individually.”

The days are dark and we are called to be loyal to God and call our church families to do the same!

So as we enter October, and this year have the immense privilege of celebrating the 500 year birthday of the Reformation, let us take the time to attend a conference, read a book, encourage our people to know our history!

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, noted, “It is all too plainly apparent men are willing to forego the old for the sake of the new. But commonly it is found in theology that that which is true is not new, and that which is new is not true.”

]]>For many history is a course we took in high school that was not as bad as math and a little better than English. For the growing Christian history becomes a life long pursuit of understanding and growing in knowledge of.

Who cares? WE DO!

This month many (including us) are celebrating the 500 year anniversary of the Reformation, October 31, 1517. Martin Luther in response to what he saw as abuses in the church of his age, wrote 95 theses, which he posted on the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church. The idea behind this bold move was to open discussion with others in church leadership and bring reform to the Catholic church.

It has been said, “if you don’t know history, your doomed to repeat it”. The Bible constantly calls for us to remember things that occurred in the past, and in Jude, the warning it sounds is based on history repeating itself. The Bible calls for us to learn from Biblical history and find endurance and encouragement and we need those now as a church (Romans 15:4)!

History has particular value for us as Christians, because we believe that God is Sovereign over what is happening (Ephesians 1:11), and therefore we can watch for His story. D.A. Carson points out in an article for 9 Marks, “Three large-scale movements set the stage for the contemporary Western world: the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Enlightenment”.

For us as leaders in churches that have been directly impacted by the Reformation, it stands above almost all events in the last 1500 years in terms of its importance to us. We should care about the reformation, and grow in our understanding of it and its characters for three essential reasons:

The Demonic Schemes Repeat: Ephesians 6:10-20; 2 Corinthians 2:11 As you look at the reasons for the Reformation, the decay of the church and its lack of adherence to Scripture, those peddling religion for money, and a works addition to the gospel, we have these same issues infecting the church in our own generation. The Gospel is under attack, and knowing the repetition of what is being attacked through the study of the Reformation will help us learn from godly men and women, and contend for the faith today with those lessons learned.

The attack on the Gospel, truth and the glory of God, is something that we find throughout history, we must not allow ourselves, or our people be caught unaware of the schemes of the devil!

Tetzel and the Pope have lost their influence, but the temptations that stood behind them, the issues at the root of their folly still exist! The Reformation is worth studying because it reminds us of the schemes the devil uses to attack the church.

The Dopes God Used: A careful study of the reformation not only shows the schemes of the demonic realm, but also the reality that God uses broken people. Martin Luther was sometimes vulgar, seems to have been racist, and drank too much. He is a worthwhile hero, but only because He points us to the One true God, who will never let us down. Not only was Martin (and other reformers) frail, so are we. It is good to study history to remember that there was only One perfect man that God used (Jesus), the rest of us are His work of art (Ephesians 2:10), and in our frailty show His power because He uses cracked pots like us (2 Corinthians 4:7; 12:5-10). As we look at the world broken world around us, history reminds us that God uses real people, and when healthy introspection reminds us that we are real people, rejoice, God uses dopes like us!

The Days Were Dark: Like the men of Issachar (1 Chronicles 12:32), it is helpful to realize that God uses specific people in space time history to respond to what is going on in the church and world. He chooses to use His people to shape the world, and we as church leaders have the responsibility to understand our times and respond with courage. I believe that we are on the verge of revival or total moral collapse, and in this it is time for the church (led by her leaders in God’s strength to stand up, and stand firm. To speak the truth in love, and to live the truth in humility. We live in dark days, and a study of the reformation reminds us that these are not the first dark days that have existed, nor will the (unless Jesus returns) be the last. So let us understand our times, and serve our LORD with courage as where the Word is under attack and the glory of God being diminished. We must know God’s Word, live it, display it, teach it and stand firm on it…as Luther stated, “Also it does not help that one of you would say: ‘I will gladly confess Christ and His Word on every detail, except that I may keep silent about one or two things which my tyrants may not tolerate, such as the form of the Sacraments and the like.’ For whoever denies Christ in one detail or word has denied the same Christ in that one detail who was denied in all the details, since there is only one Christ in all His words, taken together or individually.”

The days are dark and we are called to be loyal to God and call our church families to do the same!

So as we enter October, and this year have the immense privilege of celebrating the 500 year birthday of the Reformation, let us take the time to attend a conference, read a book, encourage our people to know our history!

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, noted, “It is all too plainly apparent men are willing to forego the old for the sake of the new. But commonly it is found in theology that that which is true is not new, and that which is new is not true.”

]]>A Response To - 7 Reasons Men Should Not Be Pastorshttp://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/a-response-to-7-reasons-men-should-not-be-pastors
http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/a-response-to-7-reasons-men-should-not-be-pastors#commentsMon, 02 Oct 2017 14:00:00 -0700http://the-gospel-coalition-british-columbia.cpmpreview2.com/blog/post/a-response-to-7-reasons-men-should-not-be-pastorsThose of us with a Facebook account know the inner battle of the Facebook newsfeed. We scroll through it and see everything from fitness quotes to friends starting business’s…tasty recipes to pictures of cute children…memes for LGBTQ advocates to passionate Donald Trump supporters rallying for votes.

At least that’s what mine looks like.

We all find ourselves sifting through the good and bad, making decisions on what silly stuff to engage and what things to quietly ignore. Most of the time if I disagree, I usually stay pretty quiet. I’ve never found Facebook to be a good place for civil dialogue.

The video is flipping the common question “Can women really lead in the church?” and asking the same question of men. This is of course funny because men don’t have this question asked of them, but women do. The very premise is making a clear point.

For those of us with convictions one way or another in regards to women in ministry leadership, we know this conversation can get heated. But I have zero desire for that, as I’ve always maintained that it is a secondary issue that does not change the gospel. And the gospel is what ultimately unifies us.

However I’ve been around the block long enough to know that this topic is extremely important. The culture around us has been shifting for decades and the church ought to have thoughtful, bible-based answers for these kinds of questions regarding gender roles and gender identity. Never has it been more important to scour the Scripture for guidance on these matters. And all of it begins with our general understanding of male and female roles in the church and home. This is not a discussion about what women are permitted to do out in the world, as their seem to be no role’s off-limits scripturally in that context (aside from anything sinful – obviously).

For that reason I think it is important enough to engage with this video, as it is clearly trying to make a very big point about the church.

This topic is both enormous and nuanced, so bear with me as I’m not tackling the whole thing here. But just the points the video brings up.

At the very heart of the video there seems to be a great frustration for women to hear the word “no”. But never once is scripture spoken about in the video. These ladies are talking about the church, but devoid of any reasonable engagement with what the scripture says to inform the church on these matters. Which for me, makes the video pack much less punch.

However with that said, if women are actually being told these excuses for their exclusions from certain kinds of ministry then I understand their irritation. Most of the reasons spoken about are just silly and do not represent the complementarian’s theological stance.

If women are being told they can’t lead because they are too pretty and may be a distraction, or because they are too emotional, or because they get cranky once a month or because their children will keep them from effective work, then these are theologically lacking men speaking from personal chauvinistic preferences devoid of scriptural conviction. And let me encourage all women to ignore such men. Scripture does not disqualify women for any of these reasons, and so, neither should men.

Now let me deal with the only three points of the video I believe are worth looking closer at. Starting with these two statements:

“Men can still be involved in the church – they just don’t need to be ordained” and “Jesus was betrayed by a man, how can a man be trusted to lead?”

Summed up, the first statement is asking the question, why can’t women be ordained? And the second statement is saying women should not be punished for Eve’s sin in the same way that men are not punished for Judas’ sin.

So why don’t we look at a piece of Scripture that deals with both statements.

I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 1 Timothy 2:12-14

This text is a controversial one and is often explained away by asserting that at the time there were some particularly loud-mouthed women in the church who were being disruptive. Therefore, Paul is just addressing them. But this assertion has not been historically proven. It is more likely that Paul is differentiating roles for men and women in the church. This text seems to be speaking about how the governance and teaching of the church is the role of a man. And these two functions are the distinguishing factors between elders and deacons. This is not Paul telling women to shut up. Let’s get that straight. In the context of this entire letter to Timothy, Paul is helping his young mentoree Timothy with the difficult task of church governance. For this reason ordination for women would not be permitted in scripture, as the role of Elder is one of governance and teaching. Two things that is not included in the role of women in the church.

God has placed that extreme responsibility on men as part of their role. Does this mean God loves men more than women? Ask yourself the same question. Do you love your first child more than the rest, just because they were born first? Nope. Probably not. They just happened to be born in that order.

You may be wondering then why Paul brings Eve’s sin into the picture. Paul refers to the creation account to remind the church of what happened in the beginning. Adam ignored his role of protector and leader, then Eve stepped in the leadership role. We all know how that turned out. And comparing it to Judas’ sin is like apples and oranges. The first sin was the cause of all sin for the rest of history. Including Judas’ betrayal, which would have never happened if our first parents hadn’t sinned in the garden.

Paul brings up the garden because this is where God created gender roles. And when God made it, it was good. It was perfect and beautiful. And as soon as those roles switched, everything became unbalanced. It is of huge importance that we return to Eden when seeking to understand the way God created us.

Now lets move on to the last statement…

The children’s ministry is always in need of male leadership.

Side note: Yes, it most certainly does!!! But that’s not the point trying to be made in the video.

I understand that women who feel the call to leadership are tired of being told to exercise those gifts in children’s ministry. But my question for them is…why? Let me be clear that complementarians do not believe that children’s ministry is the only place women can participate. In fact there are endless opportunities for women to do ministry. And true complementarians desire greatly to train and encourage women to do extremely important ministry. As John Piper said “Nobody (male or female) should be sitting at home watching soaps or ball games, while the world burns.” Women need to engage themselves in all kinds of ministry. We are desperately needed in a world that is burning.

But that isn’t the point, is it. Because it’s not really about the opportunities available to us. It’s actually more about the glory those ministries grant us. What glory is given to a woman in the children’s wing? Not as much as the guy standing on stage. Right?

And, I believe, that is the rub.

So often our frustrations with our role is the apparent lack of lime-light that comes with it. And I am boldly willing to suggest that our pride is the root of our frustration.

Along side cultural sway, of course. Because as the video says, “Its 2016! Support women in the church.”

To which I say…Yes! Support women in the church! Equip and encourage them. Utilize their God-given gifts and abilities! But let’s do all of that with fear and trembling at the Word of God. And not take our que’s from the culture of 2016.

Every Word of the Bible is Spirit-inspired, God-breathed, infallible and profitable for teaching…even the Words that we really don’t like. But when the church acts as it should within the beautiful roles that our good Father ordained in the garden – when we see it not abused, but embraced in all its goodness; we honor God. And we show our humility to His Word.

And my prayer is that women will lead the way in this kind of love and reverence to our Lord.

]]>Those of us with a Facebook account know the inner battle of the Facebook newsfeed. We scroll through it and see everything from fitness quotes to friends starting business’s…tasty recipes to pictures of cute children…memes for LGBTQ advocates to passionate Donald Trump supporters rallying for votes.

At least that’s what mine looks like.

We all find ourselves sifting through the good and bad, making decisions on what silly stuff to engage and what things to quietly ignore. Most of the time if I disagree, I usually stay pretty quiet. I’ve never found Facebook to be a good place for civil dialogue.

The video is flipping the common question “Can women really lead in the church?” and asking the same question of men. This is of course funny because men don’t have this question asked of them, but women do. The very premise is making a clear point.

For those of us with convictions one way or another in regards to women in ministry leadership, we know this conversation can get heated. But I have zero desire for that, as I’ve always maintained that it is a secondary issue that does not change the gospel. And the gospel is what ultimately unifies us.

However I’ve been around the block long enough to know that this topic is extremely important. The culture around us has been shifting for decades and the church ought to have thoughtful, bible-based answers for these kinds of questions regarding gender roles and gender identity. Never has it been more important to scour the Scripture for guidance on these matters. And all of it begins with our general understanding of male and female roles in the church and home. This is not a discussion about what women are permitted to do out in the world, as their seem to be no role’s off-limits scripturally in that context (aside from anything sinful – obviously).

For that reason I think it is important enough to engage with this video, as it is clearly trying to make a very big point about the church.

This topic is both enormous and nuanced, so bear with me as I’m not tackling the whole thing here. But just the points the video brings up.

At the very heart of the video there seems to be a great frustration for women to hear the word “no”. But never once is scripture spoken about in the video. These ladies are talking about the church, but devoid of any reasonable engagement with what the scripture says to inform the church on these matters. Which for me, makes the video pack much less punch.

However with that said, if women are actually being told these excuses for their exclusions from certain kinds of ministry then I understand their irritation. Most of the reasons spoken about are just silly and do not represent the complementarian’s theological stance.

If women are being told they can’t lead because they are too pretty and may be a distraction, or because they are too emotional, or because they get cranky once a month or because their children will keep them from effective work, then these are theologically lacking men speaking from personal chauvinistic preferences devoid of scriptural conviction. And let me encourage all women to ignore such men. Scripture does not disqualify women for any of these reasons, and so, neither should men.

Now let me deal with the only three points of the video I believe are worth looking closer at. Starting with these two statements:

“Men can still be involved in the church – they just don’t need to be ordained” and “Jesus was betrayed by a man, how can a man be trusted to lead?”

Summed up, the first statement is asking the question, why can’t women be ordained? And the second statement is saying women should not be punished for Eve’s sin in the same way that men are not punished for Judas’ sin.

So why don’t we look at a piece of Scripture that deals with both statements.

I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 1 Timothy 2:12-14

This text is a controversial one and is often explained away by asserting that at the time there were some particularly loud-mouthed women in the church who were being disruptive. Therefore, Paul is just addressing them. But this assertion has not been historically proven. It is more likely that Paul is differentiating roles for men and women in the church. This text seems to be speaking about how the governance and teaching of the church is the role of a man. And these two functions are the distinguishing factors between elders and deacons. This is not Paul telling women to shut up. Let’s get that straight. In the context of this entire letter to Timothy, Paul is helping his young mentoree Timothy with the difficult task of church governance. For this reason ordination for women would not be permitted in scripture, as the role of Elder is one of governance and teaching. Two things that is not included in the role of women in the church.

God has placed that extreme responsibility on men as part of their role. Does this mean God loves men more than women? Ask yourself the same question. Do you love your first child more than the rest, just because they were born first? Nope. Probably not. They just happened to be born in that order.

You may be wondering then why Paul brings Eve’s sin into the picture. Paul refers to the creation account to remind the church of what happened in the beginning. Adam ignored his role of protector and leader, then Eve stepped in the leadership role. We all know how that turned out. And comparing it to Judas’ sin is like apples and oranges. The first sin was the cause of all sin for the rest of history. Including Judas’ betrayal, which would have never happened if our first parents hadn’t sinned in the garden.

Paul brings up the garden because this is where God created gender roles. And when God made it, it was good. It was perfect and beautiful. And as soon as those roles switched, everything became unbalanced. It is of huge importance that we return to Eden when seeking to understand the way God created us.

Now lets move on to the last statement…

The children’s ministry is always in need of male leadership.

Side note: Yes, it most certainly does!!! But that’s not the point trying to be made in the video.

I understand that women who feel the call to leadership are tired of being told to exercise those gifts in children’s ministry. But my question for them is…why? Let me be clear that complementarians do not believe that children’s ministry is the only place women can participate. In fact there are endless opportunities for women to do ministry. And true complementarians desire greatly to train and encourage women to do extremely important ministry. As John Piper said “Nobody (male or female) should be sitting at home watching soaps or ball games, while the world burns.” Women need to engage themselves in all kinds of ministry. We are desperately needed in a world that is burning.

But that isn’t the point, is it. Because it’s not really about the opportunities available to us. It’s actually more about the glory those ministries grant us. What glory is given to a woman in the children’s wing? Not as much as the guy standing on stage. Right?

And, I believe, that is the rub.

So often our frustrations with our role is the apparent lack of lime-light that comes with it. And I am boldly willing to suggest that our pride is the root of our frustration.

Along side cultural sway, of course. Because as the video says, “Its 2016! Support women in the church.”

To which I say…Yes! Support women in the church! Equip and encourage them. Utilize their God-given gifts and abilities! But let’s do all of that with fear and trembling at the Word of God. And not take our que’s from the culture of 2016.

Every Word of the Bible is Spirit-inspired, God-breathed, infallible and profitable for teaching…even the Words that we really don’t like. But when the church acts as it should within the beautiful roles that our good Father ordained in the garden – when we see it not abused, but embraced in all its goodness; we honor God. And we show our humility to His Word.

And my prayer is that women will lead the way in this kind of love and reverence to our Lord.